Scunthorpe triumphed 1-0 victors over neighbours Winterton Rangers thanks to a first-half finish from new signing Carlton Ubaezuonu.
United were further looking to expand upon their first pre-season game against Barton the Tuesday prior against another North Lincolnshire side in the form of Winterton Rangers. The Rangers and the Iron was a fixture woven into both side's histories, and today was anticipated to be an encounter no different to the previous, a strong-willed contest.
Scunthorpe manager Andy Butler was further experimenting to unearth his best suited lineup ahead of the upcoming Vanarama National League north season by making a medley of changes across both halves. To begin with Butler remained with just one trialist in the lineup as midfielder Joe Rowley attempted to expand upon his promising start in claret and blue at the MKM Stadium. Elsewhere, in promising news full-back Tyler Denton made his return to action after a long-winded injury he sustained back in April against Blyth Spartans.
The Iron got the game underway from the centre circle and at once began to instil their dominance over their opponents with a flurry of early slick passages of play.
The first opportunity of the fixture was sensationally forged by United as their high tempo was proving too much for Winterton. It was Irishman Ubaezuonu who managed to latch onto a menacing Cal Roberts cross and direct an on-target header down the throat of Ryan Musselwhite, son of Scunthorpe goalkeeping coach Paul.
Rangers were by no means making it easy for United as they proceeded to defend valiantly against the relentless wave of attacks, but equally appeared dangerous on the counter when given the chance.
Twenty minutes into the tie Scunthorpe were still hunting for the opener and nearly found it in impressive fashion as Will Evans in his newly adopted advanced position had seemed to have found an eye for goal. The experienced defender unleashed a stunning long-ranged drive towards Musselwhite that forced the keeper to parry the ball wide.
It appeared only a matter of time until the Iron made the breakthrough and those in attendance were left to wonder just when it would arrive. Eventually it did so through the lively Ubaezuonu who received the ball from Roberts just inside the area and used his abundance of pace to skip past his marker and clinically smashed the ball beyond the onrushing goalkeeper to make it 1-0.
As the half dragged out the constant threat on the Rangers net continued, and the hosts found themselves increasingly lucky to still only be one goal behind, especially when right-back Ross Barrows bombarded down the pitch to meet an in swinging cross, however he only managed to send the ball bouncing over the crossbar and into the crowd of people behind the goal.
That was to be all she wrote for the first period as referee Shemakay Own signalled for a much-needed break for the hosts.
With a heavily rotated United side for the second period, Butler would’ve been hoping for his side to maintain their rule. Winterton came out looking in much better spirits and in doing so created a promising opportunity from which striker Ollie Jarvis drove a dangerous effort goalwards that was deflected away by Will Evans to end the threat.
Scunthorpe seemed to take that opportunity as a warning and proceeded to regain their foothold. As many chances came and went for the Iron, they remined unable to add upon their lead despite some promising opportunities including a dangerous drive from distance by midfielder Kian Scales that curled just wide of the target.
In an attempt to establish themselves as contenders in the fixture, Rangers continued to advance forward and looked to take advantage of the makeshift Iron defence by springing the offside trap. Jarvis’ turn and flick allowed winger Oakley Hill to burst in behind and to Scunthorpe’s relief drag his slotted effort just wide of the target.
As time ebbed away, the Iron were certainly looking to expand upon their lead after a range of substitutions and Barrows (who’d been subbed off at half-time, but had returned to the field of play in a trio of planned substitutions) received the ball on the edge of the area and fired a ferocious curling effort past the keepers right-hand post, further proving that the ball was just refusing to nestle in the back of the net.
This missed chance was to be the last notable action of proceedings as the Iron came away with another pre-season victory, however the scoreline failed to represent the balance of the game as Scunthorpe had been in as expected free flowing dominance but were just unable to add the finishing touches where needed, something Butler’s boys will be looking to improve on away at Gainsborough Trinity in midweek.
FIRST-HALF IRON XI: Campbell, Kouogun, Evans, Boyce, Whitehall, Roberts, Ubaezuonu, Shrimpton, Denton, Barrows, Rowley.
SECOND-HALF IRON XI: Fitzsimons, Kouogun (Shrimpton, 64), Evans (Abraham, 64), Boyce (Barrows, 64), Clunan, Beestin, Fishburn, Brogan, Scales, Law, Burden.
